24: Judgment Day
by LoveMachineLX
Summary: While supporting the reactivated Counter Terrorist Unit in Los Angeles, Federal Agent Jack Bauer is order to bring in terrorists John and Sarah Connor. But as Skynet comes online after years in development, both parties must stop a series of devastating attacks that could bring mankind to extinction. 24/TSCC Crossover.
1. 3:00 AM to 4:00 AM

_**24: JUDGMENT DAY**_

**The characters and related properties of both "24" and "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" do not belong to the author.**

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><p><strong>Introduction<strong>: This is a crossover between 24 and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (TSCC). We're going to go over the basics so that readers not intimately familiar with either series aren't left out of the loop.

**Characters**

**_24_**

Jack Bauer (Keifer Sutherland): Highly decorated federal agent with over twenty-five years of combined military and law enforcement experience. Still undergoing stem-cell treatment for eight months after being exposed to a lethal nerve agent in season seven, Jack is now advising the newly established CTU: LA after it was disbanded over three years prior.

Chloe O'Brien (Mary Lynn Rajskub): Jack's close friend and confidant. She makes up for her sometimes unnerving demeanor with extensive experience in programming and computer operations. She, along with Jack, is now consulting the newly reactivated CTU in Los Angeles.

Renee Walker (Annie Wersching): Former FBI agent who was fired after torturing a suspect during season seven. Now washed up and looking for purpose, she is now in Los Angeles working for a private security firm.

Tom Baker (Daniel Dae Kim): Former field agent for CTU, now newly appointed director of the reactivated LA branch. Originally seen during season two and three, he has returned to restore credibility to the disgraced agency.

Chase Edmunds (James Badge Dale): Head field agent for CTU: LA. Worked extensively with Jack Bauer during season three, but left CTU after Jack was forced to amputate his hand, which has been successfully reattached. He, along with Baker, is now back to reaffirm CTU as the tip of the spear in staving off threats to Los Angeles.

President Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones): Current President of the United States. Worked with Jack Bauer during season seven and has established a working relationship with him. Still in Washington D.C., she is highly skeptical of the new CTU: LA but remains in constant contact during times of emergency.

_**Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles**_

Sarah Connor (Lena Headey): Mother of John Connor, future leader of the Resistance. Highly experienced through self-taught methods of warfare, she will stop at nothing to keep her son safe from all threats, terminator or otherwise. She has been branded a domestic terrorist due to her ongoing campaign against Skynet.

John Connor (Thomas Dekker): Prophesied future leader of the Resistance, currently eightteen years old. John struggles with his uncertain destiny as Judgment Day continues to loom over him. Moderately experienced with hacking and basic soldier skills, he will stop at nothing to keep his friends and allies safe.

Cameron (Summer Glau): Model TOK715 terminator. Programmed to protect John Connor at all costs. Still curious with humanity's methods, she counts on John and Sarah to guide her in understanding the differences between man and machine.

Derek Reese (Brian Austin Green): Brother of Kyle Reese and John's biological uncle, sent back from the future by John to assist him and his mother in their ongoing operations. After his previous version was killed by a T-888 in season two, John travels to the year 2027 and encounters a new version of Derek who comes back with him to the present. He has no memory of the events of seasons one and two but still acts very much the same as his predessesor.

**Now, let's get started...**

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><p><em><strong>THE FOLLOWING TAKES PLACE BETWEEN 3:00 A.M. AND 4:00 A.M.<strong>_

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><p><em><strong>EVENTS OCCUR IN REAL TIME<strong>_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Los Angeles, California<strong>_

John Connor's lungs were on fire as he continued running down the interpersed alleyways of the LA inner city. The air that was thick with pollution from various plants and manufacturing companies and John could taste every bit of it at that moment. Behind him, the footsteps were getting louder as they pounded the pavement with the acute precision only a terminator could muster.

John pulled out his cell phone, only to still see that he still didn't have a signal.

_Shit_. He let out a silent curse as he slip it back into the pocket of his blue hoodie. He pulled out the glock from his waistband and kept moving. He had to keep running.

* * *

><p><em><strong>03:04:11<strong>_

"Mr. Bauer?"

Jack Bauer rubbed his eyes as he saw the younger man approach. Even though he'd already had two cups of coffee, fatigue was still wearing on him after a long day of training and mobilization. Even at this ungodly hour, the newly refurbrished interior of CTU was a buzz of activity that wouldn't let up. Still, Jack could muster a little bit of paitence to give the man his attention.

"What is it, Mr. Olman?" Jack responded dryly as he brushed some lint from his white dress shirt.

"On behalf of Director Baker, I'd just like to show our appreciation for your help today." The executive assistant to Tom Baker, the new director of CTU, held out his hand as two men rushed past them in the hallway. Jack took it in ernest, but still gripped his coffee feverishly in the other. "Mr. Baker would've thanked you himself, but he's..."

"I know. He's busy. It's perfectly fine." Jack let out a small smile. "I've been in the hotseat myself. I know how it goes... and it's been a very long day."

"Yes, yes it was." Olman responded. "I've been told that we're pretty much done for the night and that you're free to go. Thanks a lot, Jack."

"Yeah, I suppose I could use a little sleep right now." Jack remembered that he was supposed to take it easy for the next few months. Doctor's orders. And Kim wouldn't be too pleased to know that he'd stayed up past three in the morning for the first time in eight months.

"Just one thing. Agent Edmunds wants to see you out. He's heading that way anyway."

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll see you later." Jack light tapped the younger man in the shoulder and went on his way.

Jack was almost to the main gate as he took a moment to admire both the new and old parts of the building before seeing a familiar face match up with his at the entrance.

"Long day?" Chase Edmunds met up with Jack as they continued walking to the glass door roughly thirty meters ahead of them.

"A little bit." Jack let out a small laugh. "Although considering the stuff we used to do around here, this is kind've early."

"Can't argue with that." Chase took a moment to flex the hand that Jack personally took an axe to so many years before. "Hey, didn't get time to ask earlier, you know, due to the whole Ukrainian thing earlier.

Jack knew what he was talking about. A great big bulk of what was supposed to be a regular day turned sour when a group of rogue Ukrainian militants threatened to take out much of LA's electrical grid in order to implant a virus in the DOD server. Needless to say, they failed. Miserably. But not before costing the infant CTU and Jack over eighteen hours of their time.

"How are your treatments going? I know that anything with stem cells isn't always a sure thing."

"Yeah, I'm only eight months in and it's working so far. Can't complain." That was a lie, of course, but Chase bought it full price.

"That's good. Hey, listen, get some rest. Game starts again tomorrow." Chase said as they approached the parking lot. The thick black sky greeting Jack had been absent for so long that he'd almost forgotten about it.

"Always does." Jack muttered as both men went to their respective cars.

* * *

><p><em><strong>03:12:42<strong>_

John's legs couldn't take much more. John ducked and weaved in between what seemed to be a million different alleyways, but just when John thought he had lost it, it continued hot on his trail, never losing much distance.

Hoping for a miracle, John pulled his cell phone one more time. One bar popped up on his signal strength. It would have to be enough. His quickly hit a number on his speed dial and put it up to his left ear as he continued running.

"20 April!" John yelled as his body desperately wanted him to suck in air.

"2011." A morose voice belonging to Derek Reese responded. "Where are you? I've been trying to find you for half an hour."

"I got a triple eight on my ass. I need you to come find me, NOW!"

"Alright, what's your location?"

"Downtown, three miles northeast of Central Station!"

"I'll be there in twenty minutes. John, you can't outrun that thing."

"No. Shit!" John yelled back.

"Get to some higher ground, is there some structure you can use to hide in?"

"There's a parking garage half a mile from here!"

"Then go there. I'll find you."

John quickly snapped the phone shut and scrolled down his list of contacts. He didn't have twenty minutes. And with both Sarah and Cameron preoccupied, there was only more choice. And it was a Hail Mary if there ever was one. He scrolled over the name and hit "SEND".

* * *

><p><em><strong>03:23:24<strong>_

Jack was driving in his newly bought black SUV down the main interstate highway as he took in the night air through an open window.

A slight vibration interrupted his musing as he reached into the pocket of his leather jacket in the passenger seat next to him. Normally, he would've berated himself for slightly diverting his attention to get such a device, but the roads were almost completely empty at this time of night, so he let it slide.

"Hello?"

"Hey, dad. It's me." Jack's eyes lit up.

"Oh, hey Kim. I was just heading home right now."

"Long day?"

"Oh, yeah. Long day. Hey, what are you doing up at this time of night?"

"Teri's sick. That's why I called. Can you pick up some NyQuil or something on your way home? Some soup would also be good."

"Okay." Jack's good mood betrayed the fatigue in his voice. "No problem."

"Great, thanks dad. I'll see you when you get back."

"Alright. Love you kiddo. See you in a bit." With that, Jack hung up the phone and made a quick exit. Maybe there would be a Walmart or something that he could stop by to pick

up the goodies.

It was maybe two minutes later when Jack heard the vibrations again.

Jack fumbled with his leather jacket again as he exited the ramp and hit his first red light. He looked at the caller ID once he found it again.

_PRIVATE NUMBER_

Huh. That was unusual. If CTU were in a state of emergency, Jack had literally every number possible programmed into his phone to ensure that he would know who was calling. With the recent call from Kim and that thought that there could be another threat on his mind, Jack cautiously answered.

"This is Bauer." Jack said plainly.

"Bauer... This is Jack Bauer, right?" A frantic voice came out of the receiver.

"Speaking." Jack replied. "Who is this?"

"This is John Co... John Baum! I'm in trouble and I need some help."

"John?" Jack searched his memory to pinpoint the name for a second before responding. "John Baum... the new intern at CTU?"

"Yeah!" Jack sighed at the conclusion. Even though Jack had been busy assisting with the ongoing operations of the newborn CTU over the past month, he had more than enough time to bond with the people he worked with.

Including an often nervous looking John Baum. The kid appeared to be pretty bright and reminded the older man of more than a few up-and-comers he trained over the years. The kid had field work written all over him, soaking in all the stories that Jack and various agents swapped from time to time. He even held his own when they took him on a field trip to the firing range.

He also had a thing for computers, spending a lot of his time with the analysts, seemingly learning as much as he could.

So they developed a quick friendship - allowing the much younger man to call him by his first name faster than he let others. However, why he would be calling Jack at this time of night was beyond him.

"Jack, I'm being chased by some bad people right now!"

"Calm down, son." Jack gave himself a gentle slap on the cheek. "Where are you?"

"I'm passing central station right now. I'm heading for a parking garage a little ways from there."

"Alright, I'm three minutes away from there right now. Hang tight."

Jack mused at the thought of an agent of his status going out of his way to retrieven an intern at three in the morning. He was hoping this was just a minor misunderstanding that teens of his age typically go through at his age. He would learn twenty minutes later that he was dead wrong.

Jack reversed his steering wheel and hit the accelerator nonetheless.

* * *

><p><em><strong>03:34:56<strong>_

John ducked from car to car in the first floor of the parking complex. His cell phone was completely dead from signal in here and he prayed for a miracle as he heard the T-888 paitiently walk into the first ramp. He was followed by three men in SWAT-comparable equipment, complete with automatic weapons.

"One of you will stay here. The other two will come with me. He can't go far." The T-888 said plainly and rushed to the ramp of the second floor, followed by its two human subordinates.

John watched cautiously from underneath the undercarriage of a hummer until they disappeared from view. This may have been the break he was looking for. If he could sneak past the remaining man on the bottom floor, he could get away.

The young Connor slowly rolled out from underneath the heavy-duty vehicle and kept his body crouched down as he trained his eye contiously on the remaining man on the floor with him.

Sweat was beading on every pore of his face, prompting the young future leader of mankind to wipe his forehead with the sleeve of his jacket. The heavily armed man continued to monitor the entrance and sweep nearby cars for John.

This could be his opportunity. John clicked his glock off from safe and slowly approached the man as he turned away from the young man. Each step was a balancing act. He knew had to keep moving forward if he wanted to see daylight again.

The man was maybe ten feet away now. Just a little closer.

"Freeze!" John stopped as the man instanteously whirled around and held him at gunpoint. "Drop your weapon and kick it over to me. Now!"

John held up his hands and quietly obliged.

"Hands over your head!" John obeyed again and admired the barrel the automatic weapon as the man reached for his radio. "This is red team. I got -"

In one move, John lunged forward, pushed the threatening weapon away, and kneed the man in the stomach and followed it with a sharp elbow to his face, taking care to avoid the helmet. The man fell down quickly, and John was about to make his run when the man kicked out one of John's legs.

Before he knew it, John was dead to rights as the man quickly got up and pointed his weapon on John as he lay helpless with hands up on the ground.

"It's over. This is our world now." The man said to John as he reached for his radio again.

"I doubt it." Jack Bauer casually pistol-whipped the man in dispassionately in the back of the head. As he kicked the man's weapon away, Jack made sure the man was out cold before helping John onto his feet.

"Alright, kid. You have some explaining to do." Jack said as he reholstered his nine millimeter.

"Jack, watch out!" John said as the T-888 returned from the second floor and opened fire on both of them.

"Get down!" Jack yelled as both he and John took cover behind adjoining cars as bullets whizzed past their heads.

* * *

><p><em><strong>03:46:19<strong>_

Jack Bauer and John Connor remained under fire for over three minutes, interpersing the constant rain of gunfire with their own. Jack reached up and fired his pistol, and John did the same with the automatic he acquired from the unconscious mercenary. Across from them, the T-888 and its human teammates did the same behind a large SUV.

"John, I'm running low on ammo."

"Me too." John replied as he stood up and returned fire on their assailants.

"I'm going to have to aim for one of their gas tanks. Once it goes, you need to start running."

"What about you?"

"I'll be right behind you. Ready?"

Jack took a deep breath and stood up. Ignoring the bullets ripping into cars and concrete around him, he then unleashed a volley of concentrated bullets on the exposed gas tank. It was his entire world now.

John covered him as he continued firing and met the cold eyes of the T-888 on him. For a moment in time, both the young man and the machine looked each other down. The machine stopped shooting at Jack and raised his twin uzis into his direction.

This is it.

John thought as he watched the T-888's fingers close down on the triggers. He closed his eyes.

That was when the explosion hit.

* * *

><p><em><strong>03:52:58<strong>_

Both John and Jack were in full sprint as they got away from the flaming mess in the parking garage. Little did they know that behind him, the T-888 emerged from the flames and was on their trail. John, through natural instinct, took notice and emptied the rest of his clip onto the machine before resuming running. It slow it down a little, but it wouldn't be enough.

"Keep moving!" Jack yelled. "My SUV is right around this corner!"

"We're not going to make it!" John yelled back.

"Kid, if you're good enough to get mixed up with guys with automatic weapons, you can get yourself around this building! Move!"

Aside from the explosion, this entire part of town was eerily quiet.

John heard clicking from his weapon as he tried to repel the T-888 one more time. For the second time in a five minute timeframe, John was certain that death had found him. The T-888 was now mere feet behind the stumbling humans.

What John failed to notice was the thickly built pickup truck being driven by Derek Reese just up the street. It was only when it slammed violently into his mechanical pursuer when John returned to reality.

He watched as Derek carefully jumped out of his vehicle and expertly rolled his body on the concrete road below them. The truck roared with intensity as it collided with the trick wall of a well-known banking outlet, successfully sandwiching the T-888 to the wall.

"Derek, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll live..." The hardened soldier grimly replied.

A black SUV casually crept up on the two as they admired Derek's handiwork.

"Get in!" Jack yelled from behind the steering wheel.

Both John and Derek didn't waste any time at a second thought as the T-888 struggled fruitlessly to get out of its predicament.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked John as he closed the passenger side door behind him. Behind him, Jack took notice of Derek as he closed his.

"Who are you?" Jack asked. His suspicision was growing.

"Concerned citizen." Derek replied as he pulled out a nine millimeter and put it behind Jack's head. "Drive." He commanded.

Jack turned his attention to John as he pushed down on the accelerator and maneuvered the SUV as far away from the site as possible. "Kid, what is this about?"

"Derek, no. He's okay." John said.

"Fat chance. Not after the night we had."

John's phone came to life with a loud rumble.

"20 April." Sarah Connor's exhausted voice said over the receiver as John flipped it open.

"2011." John responded.

"Oh, thank god. John, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm with Derek right now. We're heading back now." John let out a sigh of relief. "What's the time look like?"

"Not good. Let's just say the Air Force is not happy right now."

"But what's the time table?"

"Looks like we didn't do a whole lot of good."

"Is Cameron okay?"

"She has a few new scratches, but right now she's the picture of health."

"That's good."

"As for your question, hang on... Let me pull up the program. There... Oh, no."

"What is it?"

"The end of the world. Judgment Day... it's still happening. Right now, we have less than twenty-four hours."

John was numb as he shut his cell phone. Next to him, Derek still held Jack Bauer at gunpoint as he continued driving.

"John, what is it?" Derek asked. The words registered in John's brain, but he had no intention of responding. "C'mon, John. Talk to me!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>03:59:57<strong>_

_**03:59:58**_

_**03:59:59**_

_**04:00:00**_


	2. 4:00 AM to 5:00 AM

_**THE FOLLOWING TAKES PLACE **__**BETWEEN 4:00 A.M. AND 5:00 A.M.**_

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><p><em><strong>04:02:31<strong>_

_**Los Angeles Air Force Base**_

Sarah Connor gripped her nine millimeter harder than ever as she peeked from around the corner. No sooner had one of her hairs appeared from around the corner when two bullets trained on her head slammed into the brick centimeters away. She quickly ducked her head back and held her back against the wall as if she was trying to become one with it. From this position, she could see once again the dead Air Force officers and DOD civilians scattered across the room. A clear calling card of Kaliba, the ruthless organization that will protect Skynet's genesis at all costs.

Across from Sarah, approximately twenty yards on a glass table, was her personal laptop. She still stared in disbelief as the loading bar on the screen that absolutely refused to budge at 87%. Skynet's firewall was still rejecting the virus she and John had so lovingly crafted for it.

The entire night was going to hell. And Sarah realized that it was only going to get worse with Judgment Day less than twenty-four hours away.

_Dammit. Damn it all. _Sarah thought to herself as she emerged quickly from the corner and began firing down the hallway, hoping her fortune would change for the better.

* * *

><p><em><strong>04:05:14<strong>_

Chase Edmunds was halfway home when his cell phone rang.

"Yeah?" He answered, not even trying to disguise his grumpiness.

"Chase, we need you back here. Something came up." The voice of CTU Director Tom Baker, who sounded even more tired and annoyed than Chase was, echoed from the other end of the line.

"What is it?"

"Communications with the LA AFB just went down ten minutes ago. We just got a mass of new intelligence and we need all hands on deck right now."

"Oh, boy..." Chase thought aloud. "I'll go ahead and raise Jack."

"Appreciate it."

Chase cursed under his breath as he flipped through his list of contacts. He debated for a brief instant if it would just be better to put Jack on his speed dial, given their history.

"This is Bauer." The experienced former field agent answered after three rings.

"Jack, this is Chase. They need us back at CTU. Los Angeles AFB just went dead."

"Alright." Jack replied grimly. "Be there in a few."

Chase closed his cell and began to make a u-turn on the next red light.

* * *

><p><em><strong>04:07:18<strong>_

"Was that good enough for you?" Jack said as Derek snatched up his cell phone while still holding him at gunpoint. The movement was so swift that it didn't deter Jack's driving at all. This guy was experienced, Jack noted.

"Good. Real good." Derek said sarcastically as he checked the cell's call history.

"What was that about?" John asked as he brushed some of his bangs away from his eyes.

"Nothing. Just some business at work." Jack replied.

"Who's Chase Edmunds?" Derek asked with distain.

"He's a field agent at CTU." John answered before Jack did. "What did they want?"

"What does it matter to you?"

"Answer the question." Derek pulled the hammer pack on the glock to emphasize his point.

"Jack, please." John said.

Jack sighed for a second. "We just lost communication with the main air force base in Los Angeles."

Both John and Derek exchanged looks.

"Did they say why?"

"No. Just for everyone to gather at CTU."

"Looks like you're going to be a little late." Derek said as Jack stopped at a red light at an empty intersection. He didn't have to time react when Derek's glock connected with the base of his skull, and the familiar wave of unconsciousness washed over him like an ebony tide.

* * *

><p><em><strong>04:14:47<strong>_

Helena took her time as she walked down the hallway, followed promptly by three armored soldiers of her Kaliba detachment - her personal guard, you might say. Down the hall, Sarah fruitlessly spent the last of her bullets trying to deter their advancement, but her luck was finally running out.

"Sarah, drop your weapon to the ground and come out. Now!" She held her semi-automatic at the ready.

Sarah ducked behind her corner for a final time as she looked helplessly at her spent pistol.

"This is your last warning! Come out now or we'll come in there by force!"

Sarah took a deep breath and looked at the computer monitor which displayed no additional progress on the virus uploading.

"I can't guarantee what will happen from there." Helena issued her final warning, sending an echo down the hallway.

There was only one way out of this, and Sarh knew it. She put both of her hands in the air and slowly rounded the corner into the half-destroyed hallway of a once prosperous air force installation.

"Slowly, Connor." Helena motioned for her to put her weapon down, which she did.

Helena walked forward and kicked the weapon away from Sarah and forced her down to her knees. The three soldiers that were with her began securing the room that she previously occupied.

"Who else is here with you?" Helena demanded.

Sarah made sure to make eye contact with her captor. "Just one."

The wall nearest Helena exploded in a barrage of wood and flying debris as Cameron rushed through the new hole she created and knocked Helena to the ground.

"I'm a leaf on the wind." Cameron said as her hand found Helena's throat. "Watch how I soar."

Cameron ended the thought by deftly headbutting the blonde woman and dropping her to the ground. The three Kaliba soldiers took notice and returned her explosive entrance with a hail of gunfire.

"Let's go." Cameron said to Sarah, who immediately secured Helena's weapon as her own. Sarah dove into the hole as Cameron took the grenade launcher strapped to her back and released two of its explosive rounds in quick succession. She didn't need a third.

* * *

><p><em><strong>04:25:31<strong>_

"Hey. Hey, buddy. You okay?"

Jack Bauer's head was on fire as he sat up from the dirty streets of LA where Derek Reese had dumped him. He had to comb through his memory bank for a beat before regaining his situational awareness. Above him, a rough-looking teenager shook his shoulder vigorously.

"You alright?"

Jack nodded slowly.

"That's good." The kid drew a revolver from his person before Jack could react. "I never could bring myself to rob a corpse. Your wallet. Now."

"You'd have a much easier time if you didn't wake me up!"

"Shut up, old man, and hand it over!"

Once again, Jack cursed himself silently and held his hands in the air.

"It's in my jacket." Jack replied. "Easy now..."

The teen slowly watched as Jack reached into the inner pocket of his jacket. But he wasn't going for his wallet.

In one quick motion, Jack brandished a thick combat knife and quick stuck it in the young man's leg. The kid howled with all the salt and vinegar in his soul as Jack continued to gain the upper hand with two well-aimed punches.

As he stood victorious over the groaning teen, Jack couldn't help but add insult to injury.

"Stay in school." Jack said as he bounded around the nearest corner.

* * *

><p><em><strong>04:32:19<strong>_

"'I'm a leaf on the wind'?" Sarah asked as both her and Cameron made their way to the smoke and ruin of the central processing building.

"It was a psychological ploy in order to add uncertainty into the face of the enemy." Cameron answered as she knocked down another wall. "It's a proven combat technique."

"I'm still not following."

"It's a much better alternative than 'My name is Cameron: Prepare to die'." Cameron replied as she tilted her head to one side. "I thought we talked about this."

"Whatever."

Sarah dropped the subject and checked her watch. "How long until Derek can get here? We need to disappear, fast."

"Not long. The rendezvous point is near." Cameron stopped as she made out footsteps above her and Sarah.

"But so are our new friends." Sarah grunted.

* * *

><p><em><strong>04:39:06<strong>_

"So, you were carjacked?" Chase sounded surprised as he pulled up to meet Jack at that street corner. Against all odds, Jack was able to reach Chase through the cell phone that was surpisingly left in his pant pocket. "I gotta hear this."

"Long story. Let's just get going." Jack replied as he hopped into the passenger seat of Chase's Trailblazer. He still thought of what happened with John, but thought it best to leave it be for now. It wasn't a priority at the moment as long as CTU needed him. And perhaps he could get more answers along the way.

Jack buckled his seatbelt and checked his cell phone, taking two minutes to make a return call to his daughter about why he wasn't heading home. Once he was finished, he noted a crazed looking man outside his street window holding a 'THE END IS NEAR' sign as they drove past.

"Are you buying into this nonsense?" Chase asked aloud. Jack was surprised the carjacking story he fed him went over his head so fast.

"Buying into what?" Jack humored him.

"This whole end of the world crap that's been going around."

"Oh. Haven't heard much about it."

"From what I gather, it started on the internet not too long ago and it's been spreading like wildfire ever since. It's got all the major religious organizations in an uproar."

"Is this like that Rapture thing a little while back?"

"No. This one's a whole different story. Something how 'man's creations will rise up to destory him', or something like that."

Jack noticed a family frantically packing up their minivan as if their lives depended on it. Moments later, they sped off in the opposite direction to where Jack and Chase were headed.

"As you can see," Chase pointed to the family as they worked. "it's getting people out of whack all over again."

"I don't buy into that crap, you know that. The Rapture was just a publicity stunt to stir things up. This will be no different." Jack said as he rubbed his sore head again. "How soon till we get back to CTU?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>04:46:13<strong>_

Derek flashed the headlight three times as they pulled into rendezvous point, centered a little under two blocks away from the Air Force's central server building. With so much chaos, it was easier than ever before to slip into the installation unnoticed.

Both Sarah and Cameron made a beeline for the SUV as soon as the signal was complete. Sarah unceremoniously dislodged John from the passenger seat as soon as she was close enough, and the future leader of mankind was demoted to backseat duty in under three seconds. He was about to protest when Cameron hopped in the back with them, casually tossing a smoking grenade launcher behind her as she shut her door.

"You guys alright?" John said as Derek began to cautiously pull out of the vacant field.

"Everything's fine." Cameron said with a soft smile and John noted the new minor lacerations on her face.

"No. No, it's not." Sarah interjected. "The virus didn't go through."

"Was the connection cut?" John asked.

"Not that I could tell."

"Then Skynet is getting more resistant. I designed that virus for eight straight months, special order." John banged the car door in frustration. "And now it's all over."

"No." Sarah turned back to face John. "It's never over. We still have time."

"That's not realistic, Sarah." Derek entered the fray. "We need to fall back on our contingency plan. We knew this was coming for a while now."

"I agree." Cameron added. "Skynet will become fully functional in less than twelve hours. Judgment Day will occur soon after that. We need to go underground and await further instruction."

"Wait..." Sarah stopped as she was casually combing through the dashboard. "Who's car is this?" She pulled out several official looking documents.

"What does that matter?" John asked.

Sarah pulled out a large piece of paper with the word "Counter Terrorist Unit" stamped across it. "Who's 'Jack Bauer'?"

"He's a friend, mom."

"Friend? Friend from where? CTU?"

"He's got a lot of combat experience. He helped me out when I was working there."

"Yeah, great idea that was." Sarah muttered.

"John's involvement with the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit gave us the intelligence we needed for tonight's operation." Cameron jumped to the defensive. John returned her efforts with a smile and, in the darkness of the backseat, she reached out and interlocked her finger's with John's.

"Hiding in plain sight was still too risky. You can't make those kinds of plays from now on."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures. And, above all else, it worked." John fired back.

The car was quiet for a few seconds after that.

"Do we still know how Kaliba got itself involved in this mess?" Derek asked as he sped onto the highway. "You know, AGAIN?"

"Unknown." Cameron said.

"Wait." Sarah said for a second time. "Kaliba is still considered a terrorist organization, by every definition of the word. Maybe CTU will have more information on their next moves."

"Sarah-" Derek raised his voice again.

"Listen." Sarah interrupted. "If we can take Kaliba out of the equation one last time, then we'll still have a chance."

"We don't have time to mess around with a federal agency that hunts down terrorists. Last time I checked, we're still the top on everyone's shit list until the machines take our spot."

"I have. Desperate times call for desperate measures." Sarah said as she closed the dash. "Head to our safehouse up north."

* * *

><p><em><strong>04:56:22<strong>_

CTU LA was a much different animal than it was when Jack left an hour before. Instead of everything winding down for the night, it was speeding back up again. Chase followed the trained agent as they ducked and weaved between the frantic masses moving in and out.

"Hey, Chloe." Jack gently rapped on the sleepy technician's station desk before continuing to the situation room. A sleepy glare was his reward as Chloe cracked open an energy drink can behind him.

Tom Baker was still on his cell phone when Jack and Chase slipped in. Within a minute, the briefing was underway.

"I'm sorry to bring everyone back in after yesterday's insanity. This briefing is more impromptu than anything as we don't have much information at this time." Tom Baker barely restrained a yawn as he spoke. "Almost an hour ago, we lost communication with the Los Angeles Air Force Base."

"What do we have so far?" Jack asked as he reached for a cup of coffee that was centered in the middle of the table.

"Even though the comms went down, we were able to recover an image from the security modules on base before it went down. Take a look."

An image of a woman with auburn hair and a constant look of determination and ruthlessness took over the central screen in the room.

"Is that?" Chase began.

"Sarah Connor." Tom Baker finished. "She was spotted twenty minutes prior entering the central processing facility and carrying what appears to be a cache of weapons with her."

"Jesus." Chase gasped. "I thought she was dead."

"It would appear that way." Tom Baker added. "She was off grid for nearly two years and her contacts in the LA underworld were less than savory. But right now, we have only lead toward figuring out what happened."

Tom Baker turned to Jack, still nursing his coffee.

"Jack. I know you're tired, but I want you and Chase on point for this. Find Sarah Connor by any means necessary."

* * *

><p><em><strong>04:59:57<strong>_

_**04:59:58**_

_**04:59:59**_

_**05:00:00**_


	3. 5:00 AM to 6:00 AM

_**THE FOLLOWING TAKES PLACE BETWEEN 5:00 A.M. AND 6:00 A.M.**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>8:00:09 (EST)<strong>_

_**WASHINGTON, D.C.**_

_**THE WHITE HOUSE**_

President Allison Taylor let out a light moan as the alarm clock jolted her awake from the comfort of her bed. She reached desperately in the darkness to quell the machine's obsessive ringing while continuing the struggle to sit up.

Almost immediately the guilt of sleeping in was setting in. While eight o'clock may prove to many to be a completely reasonable to time wake up, for the President of the United States, it was a decision that could affect the lives and budgets charged under her care.

President Taylor shook off the last of her morning fatigue. Today was going to be a big day. She picked up the phone nearby and dialed two numbers.

"Yes, Madame President?" The almost too-nice voice of her assistant came out from the phone's receiver.

"I'll have breakfast in twenty minutes. Make sure the staff knows about the travel arrangements today." Taylor croaked to the best of her ability – at least the best she could do without her first cup of coffee.

"Yes, ma'am."

"If this Skynet Defense System demonstration is worth flying out to Los Angeles for, then I want the Vice President and Joint Chiefs ready to stand in without me here."

"Understood, Madame President. Is there anything else?"

"Yes. Get me General Bachman ready for an online conference on Air Force One. We need to make sure we're on the same page. Should anything go wrong at all today, this will be on him."

* * *

><p><em><strong>5:04:13 (PST)<strong>_

_**SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA**_

_**ABANDONED ZEIRACORP MANUFACTURING FACILITY**_

Carlisle watched with an eye of amusement as the broken and bleeding forces that Helena commanded returned from their assault on the air force base in LA. He had already heard of the reappearance of Sarah Connor and her hand in destroying the hard drives they so desperately desired.

"And so, the sheep has returned to the flock." Carlisle couldn't help but let out a giggle at the end of his statement. From below him on the ground floor, Helena turned to him with an eye of scorn.

"Sarah Connor has been underground for months." Helena exclaimed as her men began unloading their equipment and tending to the wounded. "There was no way we could have seen her coming."

"Enough excuses." Carlisle heaved his arm to the side to match the tone in his voice. "At the very least, this gives us an opportunity."

"Opportunity? No, we've done our part." Helena protested. "Skynet will rise and the world will finally bathe in its nuclear light. We deserve to spend our final hours in peace, with our families. We've earned that right."

"No. Not yet. What we've done up to this point is meaningless unless her and her kin are destroyed."

"She has a terminator with her, a female."

"I know. It won't be easy, but our mission still comes first. Come up here, I have a few things to show you."

* * *

><p><em><strong>5:14:09<strong>_

_**COMMERCE CASINO - GAME FLOOR**_

"Shouldn't you be taking it a little easy, Mr. Ellison?" The card dealer shot the former agent a look of concern as he dealt out a fresh hand of cards. "It is almost morning."

James Ellison set the glass of bourbon down after taking a long hard sip. He gave his cards a quick look before setting his eyes on the two other players of the table, fellow night owls no doubt.

"What did you want to want to be when you grew up?" James suddenly asked after a minute of thought.

"Excuse me?" The dealer replied, surprised.

"Alright, I'm sorry. Didn't mean to catch you off guard. Just making conversation. You didn't always aspire to be a card dealer who worked third shift for the rest of your life, did you?"

"In my world, cash is king. And we don't question it." The elderly man in sunglasses to Ellison's right interrupted. "Let the boy make his living."

"No. No, it's nothing like that." James replied. "I'm not looking down on you. It's just... if today were your last, how would you live it."

"By playing your damn cards." The man in sunglasses hissed. "It's your call."

James rapped the table gently, even though his hand was far from impressive. He didn't care.

"To answer your question," The card dealer spoke after a few seconds of silence. "Cards are what came to me, so that's why I chose to deal them."

"How poetic." James remarked.

"I am taking two English courses this semester."

"You going to school?"

"UCLA, part-time."

"Good for you." James said, sobering up. He clearly misjudged him. After sifting through the stinking carcasses that passed as 'life' in modern-day Los Angeles, this kid stood out.

"School. Psh. What a waste of money." The elderly man said as he threw some more chips into the middle of the table.

"The concept of enlightenment isn't a bad one." James said as he folded his hand.

"I can agree." A new voice came from behind James. He could already tell the voice without seeing the face.

"Jack Bauer." James turned around to face the CTU agent as he looked at James impatiently. "What do I owe the honor?"

"Just a few questions. We have a problem that you have some experience with." Jack replied, signaling James to come with him to another empty table nearby where a weary Chase Edmunds was already sitting.

With a long sigh, James pushed the remainder of his chips into the center before getting up to stretch his muscles.

"What are you doing?" The elderly man demanded. "You have to buy in first!"

"I won't need it anymore anyway." James said as he stretched. "And here. This is for you." James tossed the dealer a red chip worth five hundred dollars.

"Thanks." The young dealer replied.

"Good luck."

* * *

><p><em><strong>5:20:11<strong>_

_**BAUM RESIDENCE**_

John was already protesting when they pulled into the driveway.

"I can go with you, I can go in there myself and get access. You can't just walk in there by yourself!" John pleaded as Sarah got out of the vehicle.

"John, you have to stay here." Sarah said impassively. "We can't take anymore risks then we already have. That T-888 was enough excitement for tonight. You need to get ready to go underground if things go sour."

"Look, CTU is all cyber security these days. You need me to get their information on Kaliba."

"John." Derek interrupted as Cameron slipped into the front door of the house. "Getting everything ready is an important job. Even if we manage to fry every single computer with a fragment of Skynet's code in it and they wave the white flag of surrender, the plan is to keep you out of nuclear reach for the next 72 hours. That was the plan. It's going to happen no matter what."

"But-" John still resisted.

"John." Cameron interrupted as she came out of the house carrying a large box filled with MREs and other supplies.

"Listen-"

"JOHN." Cameron increased her volume. Nearby, Sarah was almost impressed that they were on the same wavelength.

"Okay. Okay, fine." John relented, angrily rubbing the mane of his hair. "Will you at least tell me what the plan is?"

"It's pretty simple. I'll walk in the front door. And then I'll walk out. Derek will keep the car running for me." Sarah said straight-faced.

"That's not simple, that's stupid. Did you listen to any of the conversations we had about CTU's security?"

"Yeah, that's why I made a copy of your access card and put my picture on it." Sarah pulled out a flashy ID badge from her satchel that said CTU. John noted the name Sarah Welling and the big red word "VISITOR" imprinted perfectly on it. It was flawless in every way, except for one.

"This won't get you access to their computer systems. Their servers. They won't let some random woman off the street walk in and get access to highly classified government information at the GS-12 level. You'll be in handcuffs in two minutes if they don't flag you as Sarah Connor first."

"This isn't my first rodeo." Sarah smirked. "I'll be back in forty-five minutes. Get the pancake mix out. I'll make some when I get back."

* * *

><p><em><strong>5:24:52<strong>_

"That pretty much sums it up." James Ellison said as he rubbed his forehead.

Jack Bauer wasn't impressed, even as he leaned on the table where James now sat. "So that incident in Mexico was the last time you looked into the Sarah Connor file."

"That's correct. And it turned out to be a false-positive. Some local trying to get attention by screaming the name John Connor to the local police. Turned out to be some kid vacationing down there with his girlfriend, and he didn't want to buy the man's photo."

"Photo?" Jack asked.

"The man made his living taking pictures of people and selling it back to them."

"Oh, one of those." Chase said.

"What of the incident that took place soon after?" Jack asked.

James shot him a look of annoyance. It was obvious that Jack did his homework.

"The shootout was something else. Mexican Cartel, local gangbangers, some sort of drug dispute as the local police put it."

"But you were there." Jack added, a little bit more ice in his voice. "In a town with a crime rate lower than any small town in Idaho. On the same day that a massive gunfight erupted that left nine people dead, three of them were civilians. Good people, not one of your so-called gang-bangers."

"It was a hit-and-run operation. I heard the gunshots. I reacted. But I never made out the people responsible. I already left my statement with the local police." James said as he tried to suppress his frustration.

"Mr. Ellison, the statement you made also coincides with others that were made from material witnesses on the scene. They said that they saw a woman with auburn hair wielding a high-powered automatic weapon. And the sketch that was collected matches bears a strong resemblance to the last photograph of Sarah Connor in 1999."

"That's some story." James faked a laugh.

"I just pulled it up from our database in the last thirty minutes. Almost as long as I've been assigned to the case. So you tell me, James, right now what went down in Mexico."

"Alright, alright. I'll tell you right now that my story is still the same. But because I like you guys, I'll be more than happy to tell it all over again - from the beginning - to you fine gentlemen from the famous Counter Terrorist Unit." James said as he stood up.

"Where are you going?" Chase demanded.

"The little boys room." James said as he leisurely put his hands into his pocket. "I've been sitting for a long time. You can come with me, watch me shake it a few times. If that's what you're in to. I won't run."

"Just be quick about it." Jack said. "We've got a lot more discrepancies where that came from."

* * *

><p><em><strong>5:29:41<strong>_

"This is stupid." John said as he threw a tennis ball against the floor, hitting the wall, and landing back into his hand.

"This is not stupid." Cameron replied as she began gathering their food stores and compiling them into cardboard boxes. John had no choice but to marvel at Cameron's efficiency in the kitchen before snapping back to his original thought.

"You don't know what it's like to just sit and take it."

"You were being chased by a T-888 two hours ago. Right now, sitting still is a very good option."

"Kaliba is still active, but they won't be for much longer. Even if we learn something mind-blowing in the next thirty minutes, we won't have enough time to act on it before the nukes go off."

Right above the kitchen counter, Cameron gently took down a poster with the large words "Hang in there, baby!" and began to roll it up and put it in the box.

John middled in thought for a few moments before voicing his concern. "You don't think we can still do this, can you?"

"It is possible." Cameron replied as she moved her box to another countertop.

"If mom still believes in this, then we can still change everything. Can't we?"

Cameron shot John a look as she continued packing.

"Judgment Day is still set to occur-"

"Sixteen hours, twenty-two minutes, and thirty-nine seconds from now." Cameron concluded.

"That could be enough time. Enough time to insure the next hundred years... I can still do this. We can still do this. Do we still have a working computer network?"

"Yes."

"C'mon. We still have work to do." John said as all the sleep he'd lost the night before quickly vanished. Sleep was a crutch, Sarah once taught him. And he didn't need it. It could wait, at least for now.

* * *

><p><em><strong>5:36:02<strong>_

James Ellison was running full speed toward the parking garage where he left his Jeep Cherokee. The leap from the bathroom window took a minor toll on his legs upon landing on the concrete outside. The alcohol and loose living he'd put himself through the past few months were not helping him and he heaved and pushed his lungs to their max capacity.

He needed to get there. Once again, he'd left his cell phone in the passenger seat. He'd gotten used to just wanting to be alone at nights. Observing the last figments of humanity's glory. Before witnessing its downfall.

He needed to get that number buried deep in his phone's list of contacts. The one with the name "Pasadena Insurance Co." on it. The one that would put him in touch with Sarah.

Once he saw, he clicked the Cherokee unlocked and hopped into the driver's seat.

"James, get out of the vehicle!" The authoritative voice of Jack Bauer sounded like a war trumpet. His USP Compact was drawing a bead at James' head through the windshield, and behind him, Chase was in similar pursuit.

James quickly ducked down and started the engine, despite the protests.

"James, do not move or we will shoot!" Jack repeated as he and Chase took positions on either side of the vehicle, just shy of the possibility of getting run down.

James fumbled with the cell phone as he scrolled down to the number he needed. Two gunshots rang out and he knew that his front tires were no longer going to be of use to him.

* * *

><p><em><strong>5:39:43<strong>_

Derek was driving on the freeway when Sarah's phone rang next to him. Sarah put away the makeup that she was applying to her face and reached into her purse to grab the vibrating, ringing annoyance that demanded her attention and noticed the name that came with it.

"Pasadena Insurance, this is Gina. How can I help you?" Sarah said in the best fake-receptionist voice she could muster.

"Sarah, this is James, you need to-" The startled FBI agent said hurriedly before the call ended in a large defiant BANG!

"Who was that?" Derek inquired.

"It was James." Sarah answered as she continued to look at the CALL DISCONNECTED that dominated her cell's screen.

"At five-forty in the morning?"

"It didn't sound good."

"Is he in trouble?"

"I don't know. But it did sound like it."

"What do you want to do?" Derek asked with genuine concern.

"We'll see what he's up to. But only after we're done here." Sarah said as she put the finishing touches on her hair. She didn't even notice that the car had stopped a few minutes later.

"We're here." Derek announced. Sarah looked up to see the main gate of the fledging Counter Terrorist Unit.

"I'll go ahead alone. Wait here."

"How do I know when you're finished?"

"I'll text you a smiley face?"

"And if things go wrong?"

"Frowny face."

* * *

><p><em><strong>5:46:53<strong>_

The twilight was already starting to show in the Los Angeles skyline, beckoning the sun that would soon rise to greet it.

But right now, Jack's eyes were dominated by the police and ambulance sirens that now flashed in the parking lot.

The paramedics were already hard at work on the unconscious James Ellison as he lay immobile on a stretcher, fresh blood still pouring from the gunshot wound to his shoulder.

Once he saw that the vehicle was being shifted to drive, Jack took the initiative and tagged James before he had a chance to go any further.

"We just need him stable for now." Jack told one of the medics. "Get ready to take him to the infirmary at CTU."

"Jack, we have a cell phone." Chase Edmunds yelled from the Cherokee's driver side. "He was trying to make a call."

"Do we have a number?" Jack asked as he took the phone into his own hands.

"Yeah. Some insurance company. Maybe he needed to update his accidental death benefits."

"It's got to be an alias of some kind. Can we get a lock on it?"

"I'll go ahead and send it to Chloe, she should be able to get us an answer in ten minutes."

"Okay, thanks." Jack said as he slipped the phone into his pocket.

"What does an FBI agent have to gain for protecting Sarah Connor?"

"I don't know. But I'd be more than happy to jump on it after I get some sleep."

"No. We have to stay on this, at least until the new shift comes in at eight."

"Great. Did Baker even say where this agency alert came from? This is normally the FBI's bag, not ours."

"No idea. But someone with a rap sheet as big as Sarah's... it's kind of a no brainer we'd get it at some point."

"Yeah, whatever. Let's get back to CTU. See what our friend over there isn't telling us."

"Are we going to torture him?" Chase asked.

"That's not my job. I'm just an advisor here on provisional basis. After this, I'm going back to New York. I'll tag and bag 'em, but the questioning can be left to someone a lot more interested in their career then I am. I've got nothing left to prove."

"Suit yourself." Chase muttered.

"And what are you still doing here, Chase?" Jack asked. "Didn't you get married a few years ago? And what about your little girl?"

"I can't seem to get away from the field. You know how it works." Chase answered and Jack gave an understanding nod. "I had a good desk job with a contractor up north. A few more months here, showing the new agents how things used to get done, and I get to go back."

"Let's hope so." Jack said as he hopped into the ambulance. "Go ahead and take the car. Grab us some breakfast. I'll meet you back at CTU."

* * *

><p><em><strong>8:55:55 (EST)<strong>_

_**AIR FORCE ONE**_

The low hum of the engines finally kicked in as the presidential plane finally began the final steps of departure. Inside, President Taylor sat in front of a video screen, awaiting her phone call to go through. Within moments, a middle-age man with heavy cracks in his face and with several stars on his shoulder appeared before her.

"Good morning, Madame President." The man spoke with complete authority. "I understand that you needed to speak to me."

"Yes, General Bachman. I need to know the specifics of the Skynet test today."

"Ma'am, the dossier we have provided you has all the information you need."

"Well, as you may have guessed, I'm flying across half the country and putting a hefty opportunity cost on our great country for a simple security test. I want to hear it straight from the dragon's mouth."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I understand that you have a lot going on today, so I'll be brief. From my understanding, this program will put the entire country's defense grid a the hands of a single computer program. Is that correct?"

"That is correct, Madame President. Skynet will make national defense into one fully-functional system that will operate and process information at rates far greater then what we currently have."

"Yes, that sounds all well and good, but what are the failsafes? What potential glitches will put this program in jeopardy?"

"There won't be any."

"I'm sorry?"

"Madame President, we've been hammering out the kinks for the past decade. We wouldn't be at this state in the process if it we didn't think it wasn't a hundred percent flawless."

"It's a huge step forward for us, General. If things go according to plan, I can expect to see great things for you and your team."

"Yes, Madame President."

"What security arrangements have been made on my behalf?"

"None. It should be an isolated event, the press and general public will have no access until after the fact."

"One of your Air Force Bases was recently attacked in the Los Angeles area. Let's go into a bit more detail on the macro side of things."

"Yes, of course. **Thank you for explaining**. I'll go ahead and present them to you now. But, Madame President, at this time, I don't foresee any direct threats to this process."

* * *

><p><em><strong>5:58:34<strong>_

_**COUNTER TERRORIST UNIT**_

All it took was the flash of the badge, a shiny pair of glasses, and large briefcase that had the Los Angeles times logo on it to get in. The badges these days were highly regarded. It had been a large campaign put forth by the Department of Defense to get the Counter Terrorist Unit back in the public eye. And to that end, a large focus was placed on playing nice with the local media - giving them occasional access to see how things were being operated.

Sarah was examining CTU the very minute John stepped into it. At this point in her criminal career, things were becoming almost too easy for her - a far cry from her days as a nimble waitress.

She stopped to examine the shiny surfaces of the new offices that were put in place just months prior. Mentally, she began syncing what she saw from the floor plans she pulled up on her laptop beforehand. Leisurely, she took a few minutes to walk around and detail the various agents and technicians working tirelessly all around her.

Only one agent in the background stopped to regard Sarah with a lick of curiosity. Sarah wasn't facing him, but she knew his eyes were beaming on her. Luckily, a very tired middle-age analyst dropped a briefcase and spilled its contents of papers. It distracted the man for a brief instant. But as the man turned to look back, Sarah was already gone.

* * *

><p><em><strong>5:59:57<strong>_

_**5:59:58**_

_**5:59:59**_

_**6:00:00**_


End file.
